Savin Me 3
by BethGisborne
Summary: Ezra and Ann are together with the guys when the phone rings. How will Maude react with Ann? What will Ezra do when they clash? Don't read unless you've read one and two. Please review.


Savin' Me 3

The New Year celebrations went on well beyond midnight that year as the seven celebrated their second year together and all in one piece. The women at the Larabee Ranch had disappeared into one of the larger bedrooms to allow the men their privacy as they reflected on the past two years of friendship.

The sound of the phone ringing brought the end to the party, causing the women to come out and join the men to see who it was.

Ezra picked up the phone. "Hello?" he nearly dropped. "Yes mother I'm fine and how are you? You're what?" He practically yelled. "I apologize mother. Yes I understand. I'm sorry for that too." He rolled his eyes. "Yes perhaps next year though I already have plans for it. Yes I can have plans a year ahead. No I won't be home. No where near it. Yes mother. Yes mother. Good bye mother." He hung the phone back up and leaned his head against the wall.

"Ez?" Vin asked from the couch.

"It was mother." He said quietly.

"We figured that one out." Buck said dryly. "What does Maude want now?

"Seems she wanted to spend the holidays with me and when I wasn't home got rather angry she came all this way from Holland."

"To bad for her." Nathan commented from his recliner.

"What is she doing now?" Chris asked.

"She wanted to make plans for next year and I told her no. Now she wants to stay for a week at my apartment to make up for it this February." He slumped on the couch next to Ann. "A week. I can't stand it when she's here a day let alone a week."

"Don't worry Brother Ezra. We'll help you get through it we always do." Josiah boomed from the floor.

Ezra nodded. "That's not what I'm worried about." He looked at Ann. "She didn't care for you the last time she came through."

Ann shrugged. "Don't worry Ezra I'll try my best to be nice to her."

Vin coughed. "Nice to Maude. Ann last time we practically pulled you away. We were taking bets if she came back in to talk to Travis one more time who'd win."

"You did not." Ann stated firmly. "You just stopped me from walking out the building." She grinned. "No Ezra I will really try to be nice to her."

Ezra shook his head. "Don't. It's about time she learns she can't boss everyone around. Including me."

The seven prepared for the invasion of Maude and keeping Ezra calm. Nathan swore they'd need to give him caffeine to get him to relax but not so this time. He spent more time with Ann until Maude arrived. Chris gave him the week off to spend with his mother and agreed to a dinner on Friday.

"I still don't understand Ezra dear why you would keep living here." Maude said as they sat to dinner.

"I like it here mother."

She shrugged and looked around the table. Everyone was working on their best manners to help Ezra out. But Ann and Vin had talked that it wouldn't last long and they knew JD had a pot going onto how long and by who, she was ahead.

"Really Ezra do you think it is necessary to be spending time with a girl like Ann? I mean you could do so much better."

"Mother. The girls you put me with are boring."

"Yes but they are so well to do. They could make you so happy. I'll set you up with one as soon as I get home."

"I don't want you to."

"Don't be silly of course you do. Let's see there is Jeanette she would be wonderful for you."

"I believe he said no." Ann said quietly.

"I don't remember asking you." Silence.

"And I don't remember ever asking you for your opinion on my social standings. Just like you never asked me whether or not I thought you were a noisy, stuck up, worthless mother who can't see what kind of son she has past her nose. Because she is to busy trying to either con someone out of something, or ruin his life because she has no happy life of her own." She smiled at her. "Now I suggest you forget the idea." She went back to her meal still silence.

"See Ezra that is why you need someone like Jeanette."

"He already told you he doesn't want someone like you. Now I am sick and tired of sitting here and listening to you destroy your son. Now sit there eat your dinner and shut up. Before I make sure you really hate me."

"Well I never." Maude huffed. JD tried his best not to choke on his dinner.

"I'm sure you haven't Maude." Ann said calmly trying not to glare at Vin who was grinning behind his napkin, or at Ezra who was calmly sitting there. To him it was all usual.

"I didn't tell you, you could call me that." The woman spat out.

"No you didn't. But saying ma'am or Mrs. indicates I have respect for you. Which I do not have any. So it is Maude." Ann continued on with her meal trying to pretend she didn't see the others laughing.

Maude sat there opened mouthed, then turned to Ezra. "Are you just going to sit there and let her talk to me like that? I am your mother."

Ezra sat his napkin down, and the others held their breath to see what he was going to say. "Yes I am going to let her talk to you like that. She's doing just fine on her own, unless you start to play dirty." He looked up at his mother. "As for my mother that subject is up for debate. Now either you can behave like a civilized human being which you pretend to be. Or you can leave. I will not have you treating Ann or anyone else for that matter like this. Is that understood?"

Maude's mouth fell open. Buck looked startled, JD looked like he wanted to pass out, Vin grinned, Chris did his best to act neutral though his eyes danced, Nathan had his drink half way to his mouth paused in motion, Josiah looked like he was praying, and Ann well she looked proud of Ezra finally standing up for himself.

"I am waiting for an answer mother."

She stood up scraping the chair across the floor. "I will not return until she is gone." She pointed at Ann. "She has ruined you. It is bad enough that you work with, with these people."

Ezra jumped up. "That is it. You are talking about my friends mother. Actually they are my family. And as for Ann she is becoming a permanent member of my family as soon as we set the date." Ann blushed bright red and was surprised. "As for you. You may return to my house when you have decided you can be polite to these people. Not before then. And then if I decide to let you in, it will be on my conditions. I will call a taxi for you. Good bye Maude." He walked out the room leaving a stunned room of silence.

Ann followed a few seconds later and waited until he hung the phone up. "Ezra I don't want to come between the two of you." She said trying to fight her tears.

He turned around and wrapped her in his arms. "You didn't my dear. It had been coming to this for a long time. Those gentlemen kindly put up with it for my sake. But I won't any longer."

Ann pulled back. "I must say it was a strange way to get a proposal." She grinned at him.

Ezra looked down. "I hadn't planned it that way. IT was going to be tonight after everyone had left. I had thought about Valentines day but it was a little to cliché for me and I wanted a special day."

"Well I don't mind. You haven't even asked what I was gong to answer?" She smiled mischievously at him.

"And that would be?"

"Why Mr. Standish you don't really know?" She asked giving him a smile and a fake southern accent.

"Please enlighten me?"

She leaned over and kissed him. "That sir is your answer." And grinned.

"Well then lets set a date. I'll give you the ring in private." He winked at her and walked off leaving her blushing. They entered into the dinning room. Everyone but Maude had remained seated. "The taxi will be here in a few minutes." Ezra sat back down.

"Aren't you going to walk me to the door?" She asked

"No you know the way out." Maude huffed and stormed out slamming the door shut.

"I think you need a new door pard." Vin said behind his drink.

"She'll try to get revenge you know." Josiah said quietly.

Ezra shrugged. "She probably will. Or boycott the wedding." He grinned down at Ann.

"Just when were you going to tell us about the wedding?" Buck asked looking between the two.

"Buck you found out the same time I did." Ann said picking back up her napkin. "And you couldn't have been any more surprised than me."

"Congrats." Vin said pounding Ezra soundly on the back. "Got a date yet? Maybe we could make it a double?" He grinned wickedly. "Inez said yes yesterday."

Buck choked on his drink. "She what?"

"Mary did too. Amazing what Valentines day can do to people isn't it?" Chris asked to the surprised Buck.

"Buck you ok?" Nathan asked at the man who sat there mouth open like a fish.

JD laughed. "I don't believe it Buck's been rendered speechless." They all started laughing.

Later that night, after everyone left Ezra took Ann into the living room and pulled out a small box. "This was my grandmothers and she made me promise to give it to the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. It's not much but it means everything to me." He pulled the lid off. Inside nestled in white silk was a small heart shaped diamond ring.

"Oh Ezra it's beautiful." She let Ezra put it on her finger. "I'm honored you're letting me wear it." She said quietly.

"Letting you my dear. I don't let you do anything. I'm giving it to you." He gently kissed her. They sat up the rest of the night talking.

"June would be a nice month to get married so would May." Ann said as the sun started peaking over the horizon.

Ezra nodded. "Maybe May. I could talk to Chris and see if he'd mind us using his ranch to hold the ceremony and reception."

Ann nodded snuggling closer to him. "I like that idea. Just family and friends. Nothing big."

"Deal. Course Vin's gonna want it to be a barbeque style wedding." Ezra sighed.

"That sounds like fun. Make it a big picnic at the end. People from the office a few any how like Judge Travis and his wife. You seven and their girls. Sounds wonderful don't you think?"

"Yep."


End file.
